WABC leads N.Y. newsies

WNBC sees 13% drop from 2002 sweeps

With one day remaining in the November sweeps, WABC was poinsed to pull off a rare trifecta in the Gotham news market.

ABC O&O has the 5 and 6 p.m. races locked up, but 11 p.m. could come down to a photo finish. (Final results were delayed because of the Thanksgiving holiday.)

Through Tuesday, the Alphabet was leading with a 7.9 household rating/14 to WNBC’s 7.8/14, with WABC up 14% from last year and WNBC off 9%. WCBS stands third with a 6.2/11.

The 11 p.m. news race isn’t the only place where the Peacock station is suffering. Total-day, WNBC has been hardest hit, with a drop of 13% from last year’s November sweep period (4.8 to 4.2). WABC saw a 2% dip, but still will finish first among local stations with a 4.5. WCBS (3.8), Tribune’s WPIX (3.3) and Fox station WNYW (2.3) rounded out the top five.

In the morning races, WABC also led at 5, 6 and 7. Win at 7 a.m. marks the end of the “Today” show streak — which dates back 34 consecutive sweeps. “Good Morning America” now rules the early-ayem roost with a 4.7/14 (up 7%). “Today” declined 24% to 5.4.

Strong increases also were registered by CBS’ “The Early Show” (1.4/4, up 27%) and “WB11 Morning News” (2.2/7, up 16%).

In daytime, “Oprah” continued to dominate with a 5.6/13, up 4% from last year. WABC’s “Live With Regis & Kelly” maintained its first-place position (4.7/16) at 9 a.m., despite dropping 14% from last year. Rookie strip “Living It Up With Ali & Jack” notched sixth place for WCBS with a 1.2/4. Score is down 39% from the strip it replaced, “Martha Stewart Living.”

At 10, WPIX’s “Maury” (3.6) held it own against still-emerging talker “Ellen” (3.3) on WNBC.

In access, WABC’s gamers “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” handily won their slots with 10.2/17 and 11.0/17, respectively. WNYW’s broadcast of “The Simpsons” ran second (4.8/8).

In the latenight hours, WPIX held its first-place slot, winning each half-hour between 11:30 p.m. and 3 a.m. Syndie showing of “Everybody Loves Raymond” topped the 11:30 roster with a 6.4/13, up 12% from last year and comfortably ahead of “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (4.2/10, flat vs. last year).